Owens Men's Basketball Hosts Ballstars Spring Showcase, April 30

Prospective high school seniors and area residents interested in playing intercollegiate basketball are invited to participate in the 2005 Ballstars Spring Showcase at Owens Community College on Saturday, April 30.

The 2005 Ballstars Spring Showcase registration begins at 10 a.m. and will be held in the College's Student Health and Activities Center on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road, four miles from downtown Toledo. Among those individuals on hand evaluating prospective student-athletes will be the Express Men's Basketball coaching staff, as well as over 50 coaches from various colleges and universities throughout the country.

Each attendee will be divided into one of several camp teams and participate in three scrimmages, which will include team coaches and officials. Scrimmages will occur from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Immediately following the event, Owens will host the NJCAA Region XII Men's Basketball All-Star Game. The game will feature sophomore players from community colleges in Ohio and Michigan. Admission to the all-star game is $5 per person.

During the 2004-05 campaign, the Express finished with a 27-6 overall record and an 11-3 mark (second place) in the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) regular season standings. Owens advanced to the finals of the NJCAA Region XII (District 7) Men's Basketball Championships before losing to Cuyahoga Community College.

The Owens Men's Basketball program is led by Head Coach Jim Welling. In his 19 years as head basketball coach at Owens, he has guided the Express to many notable achievements including two NJCAA Division II National Championships in 1992 and 1993. He holds a career 526-120 record and has won eight OCCAC titles.

Since 1989, Welling has sent 57 players to NCAA Division I programs. Among the colleges and universities where Welling's former players have continued their basketball careers with are Central State College, Eastern Michigan University, Georgia State University, Hampton University, Indiana University/Purdue University Fort Wayne (IUPFW), Mercer University, St. Bonaventure University, the University of Buffalo, Walsh University, Wayne State University, Western Michigan University and Xavier University, among others.

The entrance fee for event participants is only $50 and includes both a T-shirt and three scrimmages. For more information, or to register for the Ballstars Spring Showcase, call (567) 661-7940 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7940.

Owens Community College is one of the fastest-growing higher educational institutions in Ohio. On the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, Owens serves more than 45,000 credit and non-credit students, making it the number one choice for new college students. Owens is committed to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability. Owens Community College offers over 130 program areas in Agriculture, Business, Fine and Performing Arts, Health, Public Service, Skilled Trades, and Industrial and Engineering Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor's degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university.